Shaft-coupling.



R. H'. RICE.

SHAFT COUPLING. v APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, '1912.

; Patten ted; 0e1;. 12,1915.

' Inventor; Richard H; Rice,

RICRD H. RICE, LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELECTRICCOMZPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SHAFT-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. 312, 1915.

Application filed September 7, 1912. Serial No. 719,098.

' To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD H. Bron, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inShaft-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for coupling together the adjacentends of alined shafts, and its object is'to provide a couphng which willpermit the shafts, when uncoupled, to be moved out of alinement withoutany endwise movement.

The ordinary shaft coupling comprises two face-plates which are kept inalinement by a shallow recess on one, receiving an annular rabbet on theother; the two plates being fastened together by through bolts. Whensuch a coupling is taken apart, the members must be separated axiallybefore they can be moved out of alinement. Th s is very inconvenientwhen the coupling is used to unite the shafts of two pieces of apparatusmounted on a common bed-plate or set up close together in a locationwhere axial separation is inconvenient or impossible. For example, wherean electric generator is'driven by a horizontal steam turbine, theirrespective shafts are coupled in alinement. If it becomes necessary toremove the shaft of either machine, it must be lifted out of itsbearings without endwise movement, and this cannot be done if the shaftcoupling comprises face-plates rabbeted together.

The present invention overcomes this difficulty by providing smoothface-plates bolted together, with a ring clamped on one and entering agroove in the other. By this construction, the ring keeps the shafts inalinement, and yet by taking out the bolts and removing the ring oneshaft can be displaced out of alinement with the other without any axialmovement.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of ashaft coupling embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view partly insection; Fig. 3 is a sketch of a direct-connected turbo-generator inwhich the coupling is used; Fig. 4 shows on a small scale a single splitring, and Fig. 5 a ring made in sections.

Integral with or secured to the two shafts 1, 2 are the face-plates 3,a, both having smooth faced-off surfaces 5 which abut in a plane ofrevolution when the shafts are in position. The face-plate 3 is ofgreater diameter than the other, and contains a concentric groove 6flush with the cylindrical periphery of the face-plate 4. A ring 7surrounds the latter face-plate and enters the groove 6. Said ring maybe split, as shown 1n Fig. l, or made in two or more sections, as shownin Fig. 5, to facilitate assembling. The ring is suitably retained inplace, preferably by means of a separate annular clamping member 8, inone or more pieces, placed against the back of the face-plate 4 andhavinga flange 9 which overlaps the ring '7. The face-plates arefastened together, preferably by bolts 10 passedthrough holes in the twoface-plates and the clamping member. When thus assembled, the r1n. 7keeps the shafts accurately in line, despite any looseness of the bolts.The clamplng member prevents the ring from coming 0%, and the boltstransmit the torsional strains from one shaft to the other. If themachine is a turbo-generator, comprising a steam turbine 11 and agenerator 12 mounted on a common bed-plate 13, the shaft of either partcan be lifted out of its bearings by taking out the bolts 10, removingtheclamping member 8 and the ring .7, and then hoisting the shaft; theface-plate thereon sliding easily up past the other without hindrance.

in accordance with the provisions of'the patent statutes, I havedescribed the principle of operation of my invention, together with theapparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof;but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is onlyillustrative, and

that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. A shaft coupling which comprises two smooth face plates, one of whichhas an annular groove in its face coaxial with the cylindrical peripheryof the other, a ring entering said groove and surrounding the other faceplate, and means for fastening .said face plates together.

2. A shaft coupling which comprises two smooth face plates, one of whichhas an annular groove in its face coaxial with the cylindrical peripheryof the other. a ring entering said groove and surrounding the otherfaceplate, and means for retaining said ring in place and for fasteningsaid face lates together.

3. shaft coupling which comprises two smooth face plates, one of whichhas an annular groove in its face coaxial with the cylindrical peripheryof the other, a ring entering said groove and surrounding the other faceplate,an annular clamping member engaging with said ring, and means forfastening together the two face plates and the clamping member.

4. A shaft coupling which comprises two smooth face plates,"one having a,groove coaxial with and flush with the cylindrical periphery of theother, a ring surrounding the latter and entering said groove, anannular member having a flange overlapping said ring, and bolts passingthrough said face plates and annular member.

5. A shaft coupling which comprises two smooth face plates, one of whichhas an annular groove in its face coaxial with the cylindrical peripheryof the other, a ring '1 entering said groove and surrounding the otherface plate, and means'for clamping said ring to said other face plateand for fastening said face plates together.

6. A shaft coupling which comprises two smooth face plates, one of whichhas an annular groove in its face coaxial with the cylindrical peripheryof the other, a ring entering said groove and surrounding the other faceplate, a member for clamping said ring to said other face plate, andcommon means for fastening said member and face plates together.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day ofSeptember, 1912.

RICHARD H.,.RI,0E. 'Witnesses:

JOHN A. MoMANUs, Jr., FRANK H. JOHNSON.

